As I’m sure you know, even though we live in a fairly progressive county, there is still a lot of work to be done to ensure our LGBTQ community members are getting the resources, support, and respect we deserve. We are currently working on a policy map to identify all the areas in Sonoma County where things could be better for LGBTQ people. As we move forward with this project over the next three years, we are looking to build a task force here in Sonoma County of community members, program leaders, advocates, youth, and anyone else who is looking to get involved. The commitment isn’t huge, join us for six task force phone calls per year and a willingness to show up and take action when the time is right.

To kick things off, we are having an in-person meeting on Friday, August 31^st from 11am-4pm at Positive Images in Santa Rosa. Our task force leaders from Sacramento will be facilitating most of the meeting, and it should be a great jumping off point if you are interested in learning more and getting involved. The details of the day are covered below. If you can only join us for part of the day, no worries! The most important portion will be the Task Force meeting from 2-4 pm. The advocacy workshop in the morning will also be offered as a webinar starting on August 21st. If you’d like more information on the webinar just let me know and I’ll send it your way.

We are really hoping to bring together an action-oriented, change-making, group of champions and hope you’ll consider being a part of it! Please get in touch with any questions. Looking forward to seeing you soon!

Based on the doodle poll, our in-person meeting will be on Friday August 31^st. Please RSVP and share the invitation far and wide. Anyone interested in LGBTQ mental health equity is definitely invited to attend.

#Out4MentalHealth is a statewide project that engages LGBTQ people throughout California to develop a mental health equity agenda and offer tools and resources that address these disparities and make our shared goals a reality.

Schedule:

10:30 am – 11:00 am Networking (Coffee and pastries provided by #Out4MentalHealth)

11:00 am – 1:00 pm Advocacy Workshop (open to all)

1:00 pm – 2:00 pm Working Lunch (provided by #Out4MentalHealth)

2:00 pm – 4:00 pm #Out4MentalHealth Sonoma County Task Force

Advocacy Workshop Description:

Learn how to be a more effective advocate for LGBTQ mental health by better understanding the system and how/where to engage in change efforts. Participants will learn to articulate the right to LGBTQ affirming and culturally appropriate care, how mental health decisions are made in local communities, and practical steps for engaging in advocacy,

Task Force Description:

#Out4MentalHealth Task Forces support local community members and organizations with engaging in LGBTQ Mental Health advocacy at the county, state, and federal level. The Sonoma County task force is led by Positive Images and LGBTQ Connections. It is open to everyone interested in advocating for LGBTQ mental Health Equity. We meet via phone about every six weeks and hold at least one in-person meeting each year.

 

Please RSVP and share the invitation far and wide.